New Moon for Neptune
3 Sep 2003
(Source: International Astronomical Union)
Circular No. 8193
Central Bureau for Astronomical Telegrams
INTERNATIONAL ASTRONOMICAL UNION
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SATELLITES OF NEPTUNE
On Sept. 1, S. S. Sheppard, University of Hawaii, reported to the Minor Planet Center the discovery by D. C. Jewitt, J. Kleyna, and himself of a possible new satellite (mag R = 26) of Neptune with the 8.2-m Subaru reflector at Mauna Kea on Aug. 29.3 and 30.3 UT. He also reported observations from the same nights of S/2002 N 1 (IAUC 8047, MPEC 2003-A75). Later that day, in response to a request by B. G. Marsden (Minor Planet Center), M. Holman, Harvard- Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, reported observations by J. Kavelaars and himself with the 4-m Blanco reflector at Cerro Tololo on Aug. 21.1 UT of S/2002 N 1, as well as observations on Aug. 19.0 of another Neptunian-satellite candidate that Holman felt might conceivably be identical with a satellite candidate observed in the same manner on 2001 Aug. 11.1. Computations by Marsden showed the new Sheppard and Holman objects to be same and that identity with the 2001 object was a distinct possibility. Holman was then able to locate this object, now designated S/2003 N 1, on two nights in each of July 2003 and Aug. 2002 (with T. Grav and W. Fraser as participating observers). The complete set of observations and a linked orbit by Marsden (a = 0.33 AU, e = 0.27, i = 124 deg, H = 10.8) are given on MPEC 2003-R19. The 2003 observations (including also some from June 3 and July 29 with the 6.5-m Clay reflector at Las Campanas) of S/2002 N 1 are given on MPEC 2003-R18, together with Marsden's improved orbit (a = 0.11 AU, e = 0.26, i = 112 deg, H = 9.8).
(C) Copyright 2003 CBAT
2003 September 3 (8193) Daniel W. E. Green
